The After Effects
by WhiteVampy2998
Summary: This is what i think could have happened when the rebellion had finished and Katniss turned home, having to leave Peeta to the Capitol and there doctors. I hope you like it : And i love reviews!


Just saying that i dont own the Hunger Games, but i wouldn't mind owning Peeta! or Finnick! ;D Anyways, i wrote this because i was bored and i love writing :) This one goes out to Tawny, cause she's awesome ;) K, have fun reading :D and i love reviews!

Chapter 1

I waited in my house alone. All alone. Haymitch was drunk and passed out on his doorstep. Gale was in 2, my mother in 4. Prim was gone forever. And Peeta... I didn't know if I'd ever see him again. I sat in my chair, rugged up with Prims old blanket and watched the snow fall outside my window. I wanted to hunt, to give me something to do, but it was too cold and it looked like the victors village was snowed in. I sighed, bored out of my mind, and slowly climbed the stairs to my room, snuggling into my warm bed. I was asleep within the minute.

I woke up to someone kissing my forehead and getting off my bed. I was on my guard immediately, grabbing the knife from my bed side table. As soon as I was awake enough to see who it was, I dropped the knife to the floor and threw myself into his strong arms. I was crying already, tears streaming down my face. He hesitated, still in shock from my dive at him, before returning the hug with such force I thought I would crumble. He broke off so that he could see my face. "Katniss..." he trailed off. I wiped my nose, feeling disgusted as it ran.

"When did you get here?!" I still couldn't believe he was here, in my arms, where he belonged.

"Not long ago. I cleaned Haymitch up and put him in bed and came straight here. I was going to come here first but I could see Haymitch freezing from your doorstep." I nodded and pulled him into my arms again. The tears had stopped, but my heart was beating as fast as ever. "Katniss, its ok, I'm here now," he whispered into my ear as he rocked me back and forth. "You should get some sleep," he let go and gently lay me down on the bed. I climbed under the dooner, expecting him to join me. I shot out of bed when he started to leave.

"No! You can't go," I argued as I dragged him to the bed. I made him get in first so that I could snuggle up against his chest, his arms wrapped around me. The last thing my mind can notice is Peeta planting a soft kiss on the top of my head.

I was holding Prim, my small beautiful Prim. As soon as she stared up in my eyes I knew I would do anything for her. And then suddenly, Prim was gone, and I held Rue in my arms. I sang and watched as she closed her eyes, leaving the world forever. Prim was back, newborn little Primrose. I watched, smiling at first as she started to grow. She was holding her goat, Lady, in her arms. She removed them and started to grow even taller and suddenly we were at the 74th annual hunger games reaping. She was called up on stage but I stopped her. From the stage I watched in horror as she started to grow, yet again, to around the size she was when she died, and I realised what was happening. She crumpled to the ground in front of my eyes, her whole body lit on fire from the bomb. I screamed and called out to her, as if that could help. My eyes popped open when I felt lips pressing against mine, filling my body with warmth. For the first time in who knows how long, I had someone there to wake me from my dreams and comfort me.

"Peeta?" I called out into the darkness. His hand was on my head, playing with my hair.

"Are you alright?" He asked gently. I nodded but the tears welled up and spilt over faster than I was proud of. "Oh, Katniss." He pulled my head against his chest and let me soak his shirt with my tears. When I finally had cried all my tears, I pulled back.

"I-I'm sorry," I mumbled. What a way to welcome him home. I hadn't seen him since we had left the Capitol, and the way I repay him is to keep him up all night and provide him with more drama then he needs. He lifted my head with his finger.

"Sorry for what?" His confusion made me confused.

"I woke you up," I said, pointing out the obvious. He smiled.

"I've been waking up every night having nightmares about you having nightmares. I was waking up so that I could comfort you, only to find that I was alone. I tried to shake you awake, but you just slept on," he winced, seeming to be remembering my pain. "Come on you need some sleep," he told me. I looked up at him, panicked. "I'll be here." He promised. I nodded, but only because I didn't want him to miss out on his sleep because of me.

I woke up, but kept my eyes close to block out the bright light I knew would be there. I felt around the warm sheets, my fingertips searching for Peeta. My eyes flew open when they found nothing, no handsome blue eyed boy. He wasn't there. I was alone. Did that mean it had all been a dream? Had he been taken in the night, killed? It wasn't like we were the most popular people in the Capitol right now. I scrambled out of bed and raced down the stairs, terrified.

"Peeta! Peeeeetaaa!" I shouted, running through the house. I had been through too much to just lose him now when I had thought he was safe in my embrace.

"Katniss?" His voice came from the kitchen. I ran in and found him cooking breakfast for us both. I threw myself into his arms, horrified at the thought that he would disappear on me again. "What's wrong?" He was worried about me. It reminded me of the first hunger games we'd been in, when I went hunting and he disappeared. The cannon had gone off and I thought he had died.

"I thought you'd been taken," I managed to get out between sobs. I finally calmed, with a lot of help from him and I was suddenly angry. "Don't you ever do that to me again! After what we've been through, it's no wonder I thought you'd been killed. I was practically waiting for that stupid cannon to go off and announce I was alone in the world again." I was hitting his chest, trying to get it through to him.

"I'm sorry. I promise, next time I'll write a note or something," he kissed my cheek. I shook my head. "Just wake me up." He frowned.

"The note could have been forged." I answered his questioning eyes. Pain flickered onto his face, but he tried to hide it.

"Ok. But don't go expecting any surprise breakfast's," he teased. I pretended to scowl at him, but I couldn't hold it as poked his tongue out at me. I smiled weakly back. There was banging on the door, and Peeta lightly unwrapped my arms from his waist. I glared at him and snaked my arm once again around him, holding tight. He laughed and dragged me along with him to the door. Haymitch stood there, wobbling on my doorstep. Drunk again then.

"Effie's coming." He glared at us like it was our fault. I watched as he nearly fell, and finally allowed Peeta to let go. He helped Haymitch through the house to the living room.

"When's she coming?" He smiled, pleased to have an old friend visiting. Haymitch almost growled, obviously less than pleased he'd have to put up with the demanding, colourful Effie Trinket.

"In two days. She wants to stay at one of your places. She won't stay at mine." He smiled evilly.

Peeta looked at me, unsure of what to say. "She can stay here. If she doesn't like my room there are plenty of spare ones. If she wants a girly one, she can have my mother's old one. Can I stay with you Peeta?" He nodded and smiled, half laughing. "No need to ask," he smiles, "I would have been at your place with you every other night if you let me." I smiled back, knowing that was true. "Oh shut up you two lovey doves, or I'll have to drop you off at District 13." I smirked at him and Peeta leaned in to kiss me passionately. It was one of those kisses from the beach, the one that leaves me wanting more. Unable to contain my excitement, nibble his lip and feel his mouth smile beneath mine. I glare at Haymitch when he kicks my hip. Peeta must have received one too, as he jumps back in surprise. "Time to go home Haymitch." He growled at him.

For the next two days, I spend my time cleaning the house the best I could, while Peeta bakes in my kitchen. He had prepared a welcome home cake for Effie, which was three tiers tall with pink frosting and small sugar flowers covering it. Every night after we finished our work, Peeta would carry me up the stairs to my room and we would fall asleep, wrapped in each other's arms. It was finally the night before Effie arrived and I was curled up in Peeta's arms, with him walking me a few houses down to his own. I had never really been upstairs, as he had always came to my place, but it was exciting to think that I'd have a new home for a while, one where my mother and sister had never lived at, so there was no memories of them associated with it.

I looked up when we came to a sudden halt. Surely we couldn't be there yet. And we weren't. There was someone in our way, standing tall in some sort of uniform. His hair had grown since the last time I had seen him and he was much cleaner and had less sores than last time, too. Peeta tensed and I froze.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. Taking a step towards us, I could make out his features easier.

"I came with Effie, but she stayed in 13 for the night," Gale responded. I nodded, and looked at Peeta for him to keep walking. But when I saw the look in his eyes, I struggled out of his arms. Gale must have triggered some sort of episode. I hadn't talked to his doctor yet to figure out how to properly help him, and it was all I could do to jump out of his arms and stand a few metres away, still staring him in the eyes.

"Your name is Peeta Mellark. Your favourite colour is orange like the sunset, you always double tie your shoelaces and you always sleep with the windows open," I try to remind him. He whipped his hand out as if to karate chop me. He had always been good at hand to hand combat.

"You mutt! You killed my family! You killed your own sister! You pretended to love me to save your own life you selfish bitch!" He screamed at me. I was prepared for the first three accusations, but the last one shocked me. He had never used that one against me, and what hurt even more was that it was true. Still, I had to try getting him back to normal.

"No Peeta. I'm not a mutt, the Capitol didn't make me. Snow killed your family, and my sister..." I trailed off, not knowing who to say. Was it Gale or Snow? I couldn't really say Gale's name with him standing right there. "My sister was killed, bombed, but not by me. I would never hurt her. You love me, Peeta, and I you. I haven't said it to you yet, but we both know it's true." I was actually crying, trying to get past the fact that I _had_ in fact been pretending to love him to save my life. He rushed at me, tackled me and held himself above me.

"You are lying! And, you didn't explain pretending to love me." I stare up into his deep blue eyes, wishing that they were his usual loving ones. He hung above me, pushing harder into my arms. One hand let go, but grabbed my neck, choking me easily. I wondered why Gale just stood there and watched. As my last hope, I used up my remaining strength to raise myself up to kiss him one last time. I fall back to the ground, but the pressure on my neck has lifted. Peeta's eyes flick back to life. Realising what had happened he jumps up and stares at me. Without a glance at Gale, he turns and sprints towards his house, slamming the door behind him. I'm on my feet in seconds. Gale tries to grab my arm to stop me.

"What are you doing?" He sounds confused and shocked at the same time.

"Going after him of course, what do you think?" I glare at him.

"It's not safe!" I almost hiss at him. He didn't get a say in what was safe for me anymore. But instead, I shove him away and run straight through the door. I had only been on the downstairs level of Peeta's house, but I assumed it was just like my own. I stumble up the stairs.

I can hear his shower running and I slide into the steamy bathroom. Like always, I try not to look at his naked body. But it's not there. He's sitting in his bathtub, still fully dressed, trying to drown out the rest of the world. He hasn't even noticed I'm in the room with him until I turn the shower head off.

"Peeta, it's not your fault. And you didn't hurt me." I fake a smile to try and prove this to him. But he's Peeta and he can see right through me.

"I made you cry. How can you even talk to me?" His head slumps and he can't even look at me. I join him in the tub and put my hand over his, but he shakes it off. I let it drop and stare at my feet.

"Peeta, I may not have said it before, but you know it's true. I love you. Without you, my world is nothing. I have nothing else to live for." I saw him gulp, but a small smile lit his face as well, seeming pleased I'd finally said the big three words.

"I love you too," he kissed the top of my hair. "But that does _not_ make what I did ok. I will _never_ forgive myself for ever hurting you. In fact… I think you should go with Gale. He wouldn't hurt you like I do. And I can't live with myself if I deprive you of a better life, one where your boyfriend hasn't been hijacked and doesn't go crazy every now and then. You deserve better than that, much better, and I know Gales not a bad guy. Please… go talk to him." I stare at Peeta, my mouth hanging open. Didn't he realise how crazy I went without him? Didn't he realise how much pain I went through every moment he was in the Capitol. Gale may have killed my sister, and over all, I could only ever love him as a friend, if that anymore.

"Peeta, don't do this to me," I whispered, tears pouring down my face. I look into his beautiful eyes, filled with tears of their own, and see that he means it, that what he is saying is final to him.

Sorry it took so long to upload :$ and please, REVIEW! :) also, sorry, i couldnt figure out how to do the new chapter D:

Chapter 2

They say that the bit of the brain that makes you hate people is right next to the bit that makes you love people. They say it's easy to mix up whether you love or hate someone. So maybe Peeta thought I'd mixed up my feelings for Gale, maybe he thought I loved him even though I knew I never wanted to look at him again, especially for trying to keep me from Peeta. I get up, numb from the pain I know will hit me as soon as I leave the house. I stand in the doorway, watching him. He's on his feet and has taken his shirt off. It's been so long since I've seen his naked chest, the last time probably in the hunger games. I can't help but stare at the body I've possessed for so long now and haven't made a move to explore. I shake my head, the tears running in a steady flow now, and exit the bathroom. I collapse onto his bed, and find that I'm unable to move. Maybe, if he has enough time to himself, he'll realise he's wrong… I think before falling into a restless slumber.

"Katniss? I think you should go home Katniss," Peeta mutters into my ear, waking me. I open my eyes slowly, a bit disorientated.

"Home? Peeta, you should know by now that my home is where you are. The world is pointless wherever you aren't."

"Can I believe my ears? After all this time, you've finally gone all romantic on me? And right when you're going to Gale too," he mumbles. I shoot up, those last few words alarming me.

"I'll never see him again if I can. He kept me from you, and to me, his sentence is a lifetime of the cold shoulder." He smiles a bit, and I think that the shower must have calmed him down. He turns to face me, his face pained.

"You're not going anywhere are you?" I shake my head. I hear his sigh but all I can focus on is the warmth from his hand as he hesitantly touches my waist to pull me to him. I spring to my knees and I crawl as close to him as I possibly can, until I'm sitting on his lap with my arms locked around his neck. I run my fingers into his hair and drag his head closer to mine.

"Peeta, you still love me, real or not real?" I breathe, the hot air from my mouth puffing onto his. He smiles an adorable half smile and runs his index finger up my back, raising goosebumps.

"What do you think? Definitely real, realer than you could possibly know," his expression becomes so loving and intense that I feel as though I've melted into a beautiful blue river. "I love you, Katniss. Always have, always will." His lips find my cheek and I tremble in anticipation. I wait impatiently for his lips to make it to my mouth but I bite my lip as his lips brush along my forehead, my nose, my jaw. His quick kiss at the corner of my mouth drives me crazy and I push my hands into his chest, pushing him back onto the bed. His eyes widen with shock as I press my lips to his, tangling my fingers into his blonde hair. I nibble his bottom lip, and run my tongue across it, my own way of asking permission into his mouth. I slip my tongue into his mouth when he opens it wider and then it's like not only our lips are kissing, but our tongues too. Not one bit nervous, I release my arms and tug his singlet over his head. He tries not to act surprised but I can't miss it in his eyes. I've always been the one to hold back when we're together. Well, I think, tonight I'm full of surprises. I throw the singlet and don't even notice where it lands, too transfixed on Peeta and his beautiful eyes, strong arms, ripped chest, toned thighs… I lose it and shove my mouth roughly against his again. This time he's not as surprised; his hands slide down from my hair to waist where he rubs circles into my sides. After a few seconds of that, his fingers touch the hem of my shirt where he begins to slowly raise the material. I shiver in pleasure as his fingertips make their way up my stomach, to my breasts. From there, he just pulls the shirt straight off, seeming impatient to have me as naked as him. He stops kissing me and draws back, nibbling on his own lip. I wait for him to come back to me so that he can nibble on my bottom lip. His hands fall to my sides and he seems to lose confidence. To help him along, I reach back and unhook my bra myself.

"Katniss, are you sure?" Peeta whispers. I gaze deep into his eyes and nod, completely ignoring the fact that I'm sitting half naked in front of a boy that tonight, when I knew I loved him, I still looked away, and two years ago, I wouldn't even look at his naked body to help him bathe when he needed it. I scolded myself for that now; how stupid I had been to ever doubt his love for me, and doubt my feelings towards him just because of one stupid, possible sister murderer. He smiles a somewhat timid smile and moves closer, swallowing my lips with his. I moan in pleasure and he takes that as encouragement. His hands move to slide my pants down. He has trouble with the knot but I can't help him; my hands are too busy undoing his belt. His lips slow. This is the kiss of lovers who had all of time. And we do. The Capitol has been brought down, Gale's officially out of the picture and there was no one around to interrupt us.

"I love the taste of your lips," Peeta whispers, short of breath. This sentence alone leaves me wanting more from him and I tremble in anticipation. I feel bad for having no romantic talk like he seems to have, and I hope for my sake that it's just coming natural, rather than from his experience.

"I want to always have the taste of you on my lips," he murmurs into my ear, raising goose bumps. Well, he was always the one with the words, I think before we sink back into the bed.

"Katniss… Katniss, wake up sweetheart," Peeta sings into my ear. I roll over and turn to where he lays. I wonder if he's saying the sweetheart bit to mock Haymitch, but from the look of his eyes, he means it one hundred percent.

"Mmm, morning," I smile up at him and shut my eyes again before the sun can blind me.

"Effie will be here at lunchtime, so we'd better get ready," he says softly into my ear, but it's clear to me that he'd rather lay here all day with me.

"Why do we have to get ready so early? I mean, I know she has to have everything on schedule, but can't we have a few more hours of sleep?" I mumble, wanting to curl up in his arms and stay there, forever.

"Katniss, it's just past eleven in the morning. We have less than an hour," he warns me and I shoot up out of bed. Today, my one goal was, or at least, had been to get ready all by myself and look as good as I would have had Cinna been here. There was no way I could do that now, but what did I care? Instead I got to stay in bed, wrapped up in my amazing boyfriend's arms. Still…

"Shit. I guess I'd better go then," I frown and he chuckles.

"I'll bring my stuff to your place so I can help you get ready, you know, zip up your dress and all that," he winks at me and I can feel my cheeks reddening. I remember the days when I would have hit him, or any boy who said that to me. Apparently these days I liked that sort of talk. I giggled.

It was a weird feeling, looking in the mirror and seeing the person I'd transformed all on my own, with the occasional help from Peeta. My breasts were pushed up to my chin, my eyelashes the length of my pinky finger, my hair in a style I should hope Cinna would be proud of. I heard the doorbell ring downstairs and Haymitch grumble. Judging by the quick steps, Peeta was the one to answer the door. I smiled when I heard Effie's bright voice. I descended the stairs carefully, trying not to trip.

"Katniss! How are you?" Effie Trinkets shrill voice welcomed me as she embraced me.

"Good, well, ever since Peeta returned," I turned to grin at a smiling Peeta.

"Katniss," Gale nodded towards me. I glared at him, my blood boiling. Flashes of Prim rushed through my mind and I wondered yet again whether he had been her murderer. I hoped it wasn't.

"Can I talk to you?" I froze when he touched my arm, the last time he had done that being when he'd tried to keep me from Peeta. I grit my teeth and nodded, following him outside.

"Look, Katniss, isn't there any chance you can get past the possible bomb situation? There's every chance that I didn't make the bomb that killed her, you know. I miss you. It's lonely in Two. I know you hate it here, so come back with me. Leave everything behind, forget the past and be my best friend again. More than my best friend. I love you Katniss, and I know somewhere deep inside you, you still love me," his hand caressed my cheek. I took in a deep breath.

"Gale, you were my best friend, and I never loved you more than that. Or maybe I did, I don't know, love confuses me. Even if I did, it doesn't matter. We live ten districts away from each other. I love Peeta and… Gale, we're alike, yes. But we're too much alike. We have too much… fire. I need some happiness, some positive. Only one person can give me that, and you're not him. I'm sorry," I don't mention the part where I hate him. I try to shake him off to talk to Effie, but instead he prisoned my face in both of his hands, and drew me closer. His lips pressed against mine in a forceful way, forcing me to respond. He took my hands trying to push him away as encouragement. He moaned in pleasure, and I bit his lip, not in a romantic, lustful way, but in a get-the-hell-off-of-me, painful way.

"Gale!" I exclaimed, breathless.

"I know," he grinned. Resting his hands lightly on mine.

My head spun towards where I heard something on the porch. Peeta was standing there watching us with a sad smile on his face. He shut the door, giving us privacy.

"Gale Hawthorne. Don't you ever, ever touch me again." I raised my hand and slapped him with all my power. I rushed away but not before I saw the giant welt forming on his face.


End file.
